Being Proactive

Today I had my yearly gynecological exam. I write so much about fibromyalgia and trying to make myself better, but I thought I should say something about being proactive about our health. I am speaking both to the men and the women who read my blog. There are a lot of steps out there that everyone can do to make sure they are keeping themselves as healthy as possible.

Obviously a healthy diet and exercise are usually one of the easiest steps. These things get complicated by busy lifestyles that leave us grabbing the most convenient foods, and not having enough time to go to the gym or a jog. But by keeping pre-made healthy meals and snacks in the fridge and freezer solves part of the problem (I am not good at doing this, but I at least try to keep healthy things around.) Also if you don't have time for a long work out during the day take short walks throughout the day, or park your car farther away when running errands. You've heard this all before right?

When we don't get the nutrients we need through our diet it is also important to take a multi-vitamin to supplement what foods we do eat. And women, you should be taking extra calcium as well to support bone health. Ask your doctor for recommended dosages.

Speaking of doctors remember to get regular check ups, people who rarely get sick may not see their doctor enough to notice high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. These are all easy tests and do not require much extra time. Of course there are also the exams themselves, which while from time can be uncomfortable, are a necessary part to keeping ourselves healthy. The good news, these things usually only need to be done once a year or every other year depending on doctor recommendations. And if your doctor is like mine, they will try to get it over as quickly as possible.

There are also tests like mammograms and colonoscopies that are recommended for people of a certain age. If your doctor recommends something, it's probably a good idea to do it. Early detection is key to the best treatment when dealing with any kind of disease or illness.